Day 193

I stocked up on all sorts of odds and ends at Home Depot today. I do this periodically, and always with the best of intentions. I wander from aisle to aisle, buying nails, screws, staples, screen wire and other paraphernalia. I'm convinced that if I can gather together the right materials, I will finally be able to make a dent in the long list of things that need to be fixed around the house. The garage is filled with little bags of hardware from previous trips like this. Instead of doing the fix-it job right away, I typically set the stuff I've bought aside for another day. I'll wait for a day when the weather is cooler, or maybe when there aren't a hundred other errands to run. Months later, when I finally decide that the time is right to fix things, I almost always forget that I've already got the materials I need in the garage. You guessed it. I run to the hardware store and buy the same stuff all over again.

Home Depot and the grocery store were almost empty this afternoon, which is unusual for a weekend. It was probably just too hot for people to go shopping. Or maybe everyone was watching the World Cup. At any rate, without the usual crowds, I sailed through my Saturday errands in half the time.

So, did I use the time I'd saved running errands to fix the screen door with a new roll of screen wire I'd just purchased at Home Depot? Nope! I watched an episode of Top Gear on BBC instead. The dogs didn't want to do anything either. When I took them on their evening walk, they both did their business in record time and headed straight back to the air conditioned comfort of home. There's still a lot to be done. I guess I could vacuum the house or do a few loads of laundry, but Dr Who will be coming on in a few minutes. Oh well. There's always tomorrow. Or maybe the next day.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day